Cape Town, South Africa, which has been battling some of the worst wild fires the country has seen in over a decade, has now seen the blaze brought under control and wine authorities are starting to assess any potential vineyard damage.

Independent merchants are seeing growth through expansion and diversification, moving from a purely traditional merchant and wholesale model to embrace new revenue streams, the March for the Independents conference heard.

Brown Forman's reported underlying net sales grew by 5% and operating income increased by 7% for the first nine months of fiscal 2015 ending on January 31, 2015, despite the headwinds of a strengthening US dollar and unfavourable foreign exchange.

Quintessential Brands Group, whose spirits portfolio include Greenalls Original London Dry Gin, Berkeley Square Gin and Bloom Gin, has today acquired the French spirits producer Lafragette & Legier SA (L&L) from French American Vintners, part of the US-based Kopf Group.

South Africa is set to increase its exports of bottled wine next year, following a change in the quota of duty free wine that is allowed to be exported to the EU as from 2016. In a campaign spearheaded by Origin Wines, one of South Africa's biggest exporters, other producers are being urged to switch to bottling to take advantage of the new allowances.

M Restaurants, set up by former Gaucho managing director, Martin Williams, at the end of last year, is to celebrate World Malbec Day next month by creating a mini Malbec vineyard outside its venue in the City of London.